{"id":2586,"date":"2007-03-19T10:08:20","date_gmt":"2007-03-19T17:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2586"},"modified":"2020-12-31T17:43:58","modified_gmt":"2021-01-01T00:43:58","slug":"dinner-at-eight-1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2586","title":{"rendered":"Dinner at Eight (1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I was reading a book the other day&#8230; It was all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of book!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Poster-202x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-23832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Poster-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Poster-86x128.jpg 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nThe socially-conscious wife (Billie Burke) of a troubled shipping magnate (Lionel Barrymore) frets over her plans for a dinner party she is hosting for &#8212; among other guests &#8212; a corrupt businessman (Wallace Beery) and his lowbrow wife (Jean Harlow); an aging actress (Marie Dressler) in dire financial straits; and a has-been actor (John Barrymore) in love with Burke&#8217;s daughter (Madge Evans).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Ensemble Cast<\/li>\n<li>George Cukor Films<\/li>\n<li>Get Togethers and Reunions<\/li>\n<li>Has-Beens<\/li>\n<li>Jean Harlow Films<\/li>\n<li>John Barrymore Films<\/li>\n<li>Karen Morley Films<\/li>\n<li>Lionel Barrymore Films<\/li>\n<li>Marie Dressler Films<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Social Climbers<\/li>\n<li>Wallace Beery Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, this &#8220;serious-at-the-core comedy&#8221; &#8212; featuring a &#8220;once-in-a-lifetime ensemble&#8221; cast &#8212; effectively shows how &#8220;women are able to adapt to their situations, overcoming their problems and taking control, while the man always are more passive.&#8221; Indeed, it&#8217;s the female actresses here &#8212; Harlow, Dressler, and Burke &#8212; who are the highlights of this surprisingly unfunny tragi-comedy, directed in an overly stagy and static fashion by famed &#8220;women&#8217;s director&#8221; George Cukor. The scenes between Harlow (who spends most of her time lounging in bed) and Beery are full of plenty of zingy one-liners, but their characters are so unappealing that it&#8217;s difficult to enjoy spending time with them. The same goes for Burke&#8217;s stressed-out housewife, who is so absorbed in social concerns that she neglects to notice her husband&#8217;s ailing health, and thus loses our sympathy as well. While Peary argues that &#8220;every expression and line by Dressler, whose talents have been forgotten by too many&#8221; is a comic gem, even her presence can&#8217;t quite lift the overall gloominess of the script. Ultimately, one watches <em>Dinner at Eight<\/em> simply to see so many of MGM&#8217;s glamorous stars performing together &#8212; <em>and <\/em>to hear Dressler&#8217;s final, classic line delivered to Harlow: &#8220;Oh, my dear, that&#8217;s something you need never worry about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marie Dressler as the aging actress in financial distress<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-60795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler.jpg 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Dressler-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jean Harlow as the manipulative, social-climbing &#8220;Kitty&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-60796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow.jpg 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Harlow-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Billie Burke, perfectly cast as the nervous socialite housewife<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-60794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke.jpg 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Burke-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Luminous cinematography and art deco sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-60793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set.jpg 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Dinner-at-Eight-Set-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. While dated and not nearly as funny as it should be, this remains a classic MGM ensemble film which should be seen by all film fanatics. Nominated by Peary for an <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=2606\">Alternate Oscar<\/a> as best picture of the year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0023948\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1933\/08\/24\/archives\/many-stars-of-the-metrogoldwynmayer-firmament-in-the-film-version.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/12530\/dinner-at-eight#articles-reviews\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/rxrgyvJInVs\">Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I was reading a book the other day&#8230; It was all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of book!&#8221; Synopsis: The socially-conscious wife (Billie Burke) of a troubled shipping magnate (Lionel Barrymore) frets over her plans for a dinner party she is hosting for &#8212; among other guests &#8212; a corrupt businessman (Wallace Beery) and his lowbrow wife (Jean Harlow); an aging actress (Marie Dressler) in dire financial straits; and a has-been actor (John Barrymore) in love with Burke&#8217;s&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2586\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2586"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60797,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2586\/revisions\/60797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}